Quick-adjustment wrench.



F. EGGERS.

QUICK ADJUSTMENT WRENCH. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 17, 1913.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

FERDINAND ,EGGERS, 0F DENVER, COLORADO.

.eorcx-nngrusrnnnr WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented arm/ 1a, iars.

Application filed June 17, 1913. Serial IP70. 774,122.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it .known that I, F RDINAN Ecsn ns, a citizen ofithe United ;States of America, residing in the .city and county of Denver and State ofColoredo, have invented a new and useful QuiclnAdjustment trench, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements 1n wrenches.

The object of the invention is to provide a wrench, the movable jaw of which may be instantaneously slid from one point of adjustment to another, and locked at the de-.

sired point against accidental movement.

Further, to provide a wrench to;the movable jaw of which is pivotally attached an operating armor lever having a wedge-shaped projection, the handle of said wrench being- .hollow and slotted on the side next the-said projection, said handle having springpressed spacing disks therein between any two of which the said wedge-shaped projectio-n is Passed, bypressing on the handle or lever, whereby the movable aw is held at the desired point of ad ustment, means also being prouided for'moving the disks to efiect an adjustmentof less extent than the thickness of one of the disks. These objects areacco-mpl ished by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l, is a perspective view of the improved wrench. Fig. 2, is avertical, sectional view of the same. Fig. 3, is a transverse sectional view thereof, on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2. Fig. i, is aside View ofthe head portion of apipe wrench, showing the adaptation thereto of my improved spacing and locking mechanism, and Fig. 5, is a transverse sectional view thereof on the line 5 -5 of Fig. 4.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1, indicates the handle, and 2 the shank of a wrench of the style commonly designated as monkey wrenches. The shank is unthreaded, and upon the same is slidably mounted the adjustable jaw 3. The head or stationary jaw 4, may be welded upon the outer end of the shank, after the adjustable jaw has been placed on the' said shank; or the head 4 may be integral with the shank, and the slot in the adjustable or sliding jaw may be extended out through its rear end, so as to permit of its being placed upon the shank, after which a metalblock may be weldedor otherwise secured in .the said slot, ,to form the rear end wall of the rectangular aperture in the said jaw, as will be understood, this, feature forming no pant of the invention.

To the rear end of ,the sliding jaw, and preferably at the lower corner thereof, is pivotally secured the upper end of'an arm or lever 5, which preferably of a length to extend to or nearly to the lower end of the handle, when the sliding jaw is at the limit of its upward movement. Intermediate of the ends of this lever, and from the side theieogt' next the handleof the wrench,'projects a wedgetshapedshoe 6, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

The handle of vthe wrench is formed with l v( ylindrical bore 7, which extends through the lower end thereof, and-the lower portion of this bore is threaded for a suitable distance from the end of the handle. Into this threaded lower endof the handle, is screwed a plug 8, which ,is preferably formed with a central threaded portion 9, the parts of the plug on opposite sides of the threaded portion being of less diameter than the threaded portion 9. This arrangement permits a stop pin 10 to be passed through the handle below the said threaded ortion 9, which prevents the plug from eing detached from the handle. It also permits the .upp a d o heplug to extend above tl'iethreaded portion of the bore, to-form a base or abutment for a plurality of disks or washers 11, which are placed one upon another within the bore of the handle. These washers are suiiicient "in number to extend to within a short-distance of the upper end of the said bore, and between the topmost washer and the upper end of the bore is interposed an expansion coil spring 12, which holds the washers under sufi'icient pressure for the purpose required. These washers are provided with the usual central apertures 13, the marginal edges of which are preferably flared or beveled, as shown.

The side of the handle next the lever 5, is provided with a longitudinal slot 14, a portion of which opens into the bore 7. The part of this slot which opens into the bore,

extends from a point on a level with the upper end of the plug 8, to within a short distance of the u e or end of the'bor 7. and I is of a width correspondi g to that of the shoe 6 on the lever 5. Alone the inner edge of the lever 5, is formed a rabbeted projection 15, of the same width as the shoe 6, and from which the shoe projects. This rabbeted projection extends into the outer portion of the slot 14, when the lever is in its closed position, as shown in Fig. 2. When the lever 5 is closed against the'handle, the wedge-shaped shoe passes in between any two disks or washers in line with the point of said-wedge, and the washers above the shoe are forced up against the pressure of the spring 12, while those below the wedge form a solid base or abutment for the same, which prevents downward movement of the sliding jaw. A lug 16 is formed on the upper face of the wedge, which is sprung into the aperture 13, in the contacting washer, when the handle is closed, and thereby locks the same against accidental opening. The flaring 20 margin of the apertures 13 permits the lug 16 to become readily disengaged therefrom.

In operation, the wrench handle is grasped by one hand and the lever 5 is opened and held by the other hand. The wrench is then placed upon the nut or other object to be turned, and the sliding jaw 3 is moved up against the said nut by means of the lever 5,

until the nut is clamped between the two jaws 3 and 4. The lever is then closed, the

wedge 6 passing between the two washers in line with its point, until its lug 16 springs into the aperture of the upper contacting washer when the lever is locked. Should the jaws grip loosely upon the nut and a close or tight grip is desired, it is only necessary to screw in, slightly, the plug 8, in the lower end of the wrench handle, whereby the washers, with the lever and jaw 3, are raised, so

as to tightly clamp the nut between the sliding and fixed jaws, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 2.

The plug 8 is PI'OVIdGd with a thumb piece 17, by which the plug can be conveniently turned in either direction.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown the adapta- .-tion of my improvement to an ordinary pipe wrench, In this arrangement, the shank 18 of the wrench is provided with a pivoted block 19, which carries the movable jaw 20, 00 the shank 210i which is slidably mounted in the said block 19. The shank 18 is hollow and is partially filled with washers 22, which are held under pressure by a s ring 23, the washers resting upon a threade I plug 24, the said plug, washers and springbeing similar in all respects to those shown in Fig. 2. To the front end of the block 19 is suitably hinged an arm 25, provided with a projecting wedge 26, similar to the wedge 6 in Fig. 2, the wedge 26 having a slightly pro- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for jecting lug 27 on its upper side. When the arm 25 is in a closed position, it lies along one side of block 19, as shown in Fig. 5, and its wed a passes through a slot 28 in the side of the shank 18 and between the washers 22, the same as in Fig. 2. The block 19 may be'provided with a groove or recess to receive the arm 25, so that the said arm may lie flush with the face of the block when closed, as shown.

WVith a wrench constructed as herein described, not only can adjustments of the sliding jaw and the locking of the same be quickly and easily accomplished, but thearrangement is such that the lever cannot become accidentally unlocked under ordinary conditions; and hence the movable jaw is held at the exact point of adjustment for any required length of time.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a wrench com' prising a hollow handle slotted on one side, a shank, a' fixed jaw at the; end of the shank and a jaw slidable on the shank, of a plug threaded and adjustable in the lower end of the handle, a column of centrally apertured washers in said handle which rest upon said plug, an expansion spring for exerting downward pressure on said washers, a lever pivoted at one end to said slidable jaw, hav ing an inwardly projecting wedge and a catch lug on said wedge, whereby when the lever is closed against the handle the wedge passes through the slot therein and between the disks, the catch lug springing into the aperture of the contacting washer and locking said handle.

2. The combination with a wrench having a slidable jaw and a hollow handle, of a column of knife-edged washers in said handle having central apertures with flaring mar ginal edges, an expansion spring which exerts a downward pressure on said washers, a lever pivoted to said jaw, a wedge projecting from said lever, and a catch on the upper side of said wedge, said wedge being adapted to pass between the washers at any point,

when the arm is closed, the under washers forming an abutment and the lever being locked by the springing of the catch into the aperture of the upper contacting washer;

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FERDINAND EGGERS.

Witnesses Gr. SARGENT ELLIOTT, ELIZABETH SMITH.

Washington, D. 0." 

